Beyond the Uniform

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US Navy: How duration of military service affects career choices

Justin Nassiri

This is the sixth article in a series of posts to provide Naval Officers with information to aid in their decision making process about a post-military career. You can read more about the purpose of this information or sign-up for updates about additional data to be distribute in the weeks ahead (to include information on the US Army and Air Force). Executive Summary: Aviators have the longest military tenure, with an average of 13.8 years prior to transition to civilian. They are followed by Submariners (11.0 years), Marines (9.9 years) and SWOs (9.3 years) There are extreme differences in the Industry and Geographic Location chosen by Naval Officers based on their number of years of Active Duty military service. The longer a veteran remains in the military, the more likely they are to transition to an industry adjacent to the military, and reside in a geographic area nearby a military base. As an example, those with 20+ years of service are 4.5 more likely to go into the Defense & Space Industry compared to someone with 5 years of service; similarly, after 20+ years of service a veteran is 2.5 more likely to end up in Washington D.C. than someone who serves 5 years of service. This report provides a breakdown of the most common industries, regions, and cities chosen by Naval Officer Veterans based on their years of service on Active Duty.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

For the sake of simplicity, I grouped all Naval Officers into four different groups:

  1. Short-terms: 5 years or less of service
  2. Midterms: 6-8 years of service
  3. Careers: 9-19 years of service
  4. Retirees: 20+ years of service

Short-terms (5 years or less)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy at (or before) their five year point have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

  • Technology (20% of Short-terms): If you get out right at 5 years, you are most likely to go into Technology. You have a slight advantage over the Midterms (5% more likely), but significantly more likely than Careers (25% more likely) and Retirees (77% more likely).
  • Finance (12% of Short-Terms): This make sense, as Finance is a relatively large jump for a veteran. Getting out early seems to provide more time to make this transition. Short-terms are 12% more likely than Midterms, 43% more likely than Careers, and 115% more likely than retirees to enter the world of Finance.
  • Other (10% of Short-Terms): This one was also intuitive - if you're going to branch further away from the military and more standard career paths, you are more likely to do so if you have more time as a civilian. Short-Terms are just slightly more likely than Midterms to go into an "Other" industry (0.2% more likely) and just 8% more likely than Careers, but a full 94% more likely than Retirees.
  • Health Services (6% of Short-Terms): Perhaps driven by the needs for additional schooling, Short-Terms have an advantage in the Health Services industry over those who remain on active duty longer. They are 20% more likely than Midterms, 30% more likely than Careers, and a whopping 202% more likely than Retirees to enter Health Services.
  • Real Estate & Construction (5% of Short-Terms): I'm not sure why this is, but if you are amongst the first to get out of the military, you have a higher probability of getting into Real Estate and Construction. This is barely ahead of the Midterms (1% more likely), but a whole 59% more likely than Careers and 46% more likely than Retirees.

At the same time, if you are amongst the first to get out of the Navy, you have a disadvantage of ending up in the industry of:

  • Government & Law (16% of Short-Terms): Although this is still the second highest grouping for this cohort, you are least likely of all Naval Officers to go into Government & Law if you get out right at the 5 year point. Specifically, you are 7% less likely than the Midterms, 27% less likely than Careers, and 55% less likely than Retirees.
  • Transportation (4% of Short-Terms): If you get out in five years or less, you are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter the Transportation industry. Specifically, you are 19% less likely than Midterms, and 72% less likely than both Careers and Retirees.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out in five years or less are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

  • The West (24% of Short-Terms): If you like the West and the West Coast, you're most likely to end up there if you're amongst the first to transition to civilian life. Specifically, you're 14% more likely than Midterms, 12% more likely than Careers, and 22% more likely than Retirees.
  • Outside of US (2.6% of Short-Terms): It also looks like those who get out first are a bit more adventurous when it comes to living locations. They are the most likely of Naval Officers to live outside of the US, a full 21% more likely than Midterms, 3% more likely than Careers, and 8% more likely than Retirees.
  • Top Cities: Short-terms are most likely to end up living in the following areas:
  1. Washington D.C. (9%)
  2. New York (5%)
  3. San Diego (4%)
  4. San Francisco (4%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in San Francisco, 84% more likely than Midterms, 63% more likely than Careers, and 375% more likely than Retirees.
  5. Philadelphia (3%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in Philadelphia, 18% more likely than Midterms, 98% more likely than Careers, and 152% more likely than Retirees.
  6. Seattle (3%): Although not as extreme of a difference, Short-terms are the most likely to live in Seattle; they are 29% more likely than Midterms, 23% more likely than Careers, and 38% more likely than Retirees.
  7. Dallas (3%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in Dallas; 5% more likely than Midterms, 22% more likely than Careers, and 256% more likely than Retirees.
  8. Houston (3%)
  9. Boston (2%)
  10. Baltimore (2%)

Midterms (6 to 8 Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after between 6 to 8 Years of Service (Midterms) have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

  • Business (13% of Midterms): This surprised me, as I would have thought that Short-terms would have an advantage in business. However, it turns out that Midterms are are 13% more likely than Short-terms, 28% more likely than Careers, and 48% more likely than Retirees to go into the Business Industry.
  • Manufacturing (5% of Midterms): I'm not sure if this is related to the increased timer in management, or perhaps more functional expertise in engineering, but Midterms have a significant advantage in the Manufacturing industry. Midterms are 46% more likely than Short-terms, 84% more likely than Careers, and 139% more likely than Retirees to enter the Manufacturing industry.
  • Consumer Packaged Goods (3% of Midterms): If you stay in for those one to three extra years, you're more likely to go into the CPG industry. Although you're only 4% more like than Short-terms to go into CPG, you're a full 80% more likely than Careers and 316% more likely than Retirees to enter CPG.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after six to eight years of service, you are at a disadvantage to enter the industry of:

  • Education & Research (4% of Midterms): Midterms are the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue Education & Research. Specifically, they are 33% less likely than Short-terms,13% less likely than Careers, and 35% less likely than Retirees to enter Education & Research.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out after six to eight years of service are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

  • The Northeast (18% of Midterms): Those who get out after six to eight years of service dominate the Northeast. Although Midterms are only 8% more likely than Short-terms to end up in the Northeast, they are 31% more likely than Careers and 139% more likely than Retirees to end up in the Northeast.
  • The Midwest (12% of Midterms): Midterms are not too far ahead of Short-terms (5% more likely) and Careers (4% more likely), but significantly more likely than Retirees (83% more likely) to end up in the Midwest.
  • Top Cities: Midterms are most likely to end up living in the following areas:
  1. Washington D.C. (10%)
  2. New York (6%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in New York; 12% more likely than Short-terms, 98% more likely than Careers, and 434% more likely than Retirees.
  3. San Diego (5%)
  4. Dallas (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Dallas; 14% more likely than Short-terms, 20% more likely than Careers, and 38% more likely than Retirees.
  5. Baltimore (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Baltimore; 29% more likely than Short-terms, 1% more likely than Careers, and 35% more likely than Retirees.
  6. Atlanta (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Atlanta; 58% more likely than Short-terms, 29% more likely than Careers, and 210% more likely than Retirees.
  7. Boston (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Boston; 25% more likely than Short-terms, 30% more likely than Careers, and 91% more likely than Retirees.
  8. Houston (3%):
  9. Philadelphia (3%)
  10. Chicago (2%)

Careers (9 to 19 Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after between 9 to 19 Years of Service (Careers) do not have a particular industry advantage over Short-terms, Midterms, and Retirees. However, they are more likely than both Short-terms and Midterms to enter into the industries of Government & Law and Transportation.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after 9 to 19 years of service, you are at a disadvantage to enter the industry of:

  • Real Estate & Construction (3% of Careers): Careers are less likely than other year groups to enter Real Estate & Construction. They are 37% less likely than Short-terms, 36% less likely than Midterms, and 8% less likely than Retirees to enter Real Estate & Construction.

Geography:

Nothing stood out for the Geographic preferences of those getting out of the military after 9 to 19 years of service. Their Geographic distribution was consistent with the Navy at large, and did not dominate any geographic area.

  • Top Cities:  are most likely to end up living in the following areas:
  1. Washington D.C. (13%)
  2. San Diego (5%): Careers are the most likely to end up in San Diego; 27% more likely than Short-terms, 7% more likely than Midterms, and 3% more likely than Retirees.
  3. Norfolk (3%)
  4. Baltimore (3%)
  5. New York (3%)
  6. Dallas (3%)
  7. Chicago (2%): Careers are the most likely to end up in Chicago; 21% more likely than Short-terms, 13% more likely than Midterms, and 277% more likely than Retirees.
  8. San Francisco (2%)
  9. Houston (2%)
  10. Atlanta (2%)

Retirees (20+ Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after 20 or more Years of Service (Retirees) have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

  • Government & Law (36% of Retirees): This makes sense, but those with the longest amount of service are most likely to remain in Government service. Specifically, Retirees are 124% more likely than Short-terms, 109% more likely than Midterms, and 63% more likely than Careers to enter the industry of Government & Law.
  • Transportation (15% of Retirees): Driven largely by the Airlines & Aviation industries, Retirees are the most likely of all year groups to enter the Transportation industry. Specifically, Retirees are a whopping 256% more likely than Short-terms, 190% more likely than Midterms, and 1% more likely than Careers to enter the Transportation industry.
  • Education & Research (6% of Retirees): Driven mostly by the "Education Management" industry, Retirees are the most likely to go into Education & Research. Retirees are just 3% more likely than Short-terms, but 55% more likely than Midterms and 34% more likely than Careers to enter Education & Research.
  • Arts (4% of Retirees): In one of the most surprising upsets of all times, Retirees are the most likely of all Naval Officers to enter into the Arts industry. I wanted to run around the block screaming "Goooooaaaal!" when I saw this one, picturing all of them Captains and Admirals painting outside after they transition. I think it's awesome. Retirees are 17% more likely than Short-terms, 22% more likely than Midterms, and 30% more likely than Careers to enter into the Arts industry.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after 20+ years of service, you are at a disadvantage of entering quite a few fields. As already alluded to above, you are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter into Technology, Business, Other, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Health Services, and Consumer Packaged Goods.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out after six to eight years of service are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

  • The South (63% of Retirees): Those who stay in for 20 or more years of service are the most likely to end up in the South. Retirees are 43% more likely than Short-terms, 36% more likely than Midterms, and 24% more likely than Careers to end up in the South.
  • Top Cities: Retirees are most likely to end up living in the following areas:
  1. Washington D.C. (22%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in D.C.;142% more likely than Short-terms, 122% more likely than Midterms, and 72% more likely than Careers.
  2. Norfolk (6%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Norfolk; 440% more likely than Short-terms, 465% more likely than Midterms, and 69% more likely than Careers.
  3. San Diego (5%)
  4. Dallas (2%)
  5. Baltimore (2%)
  6. Seattle (2%)
  7. Tampa (2%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Tampa; 116% more likely than Short-terms, 223% more likely than Midterms, and 246% more likely than Careers.
  8. Virginia Beach (2%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Virginia Beach; 301% more likely than Short-terms, 950% more likely than Midterms, and 176% more likely than Careers.
  9. Boston (1%)
  10. Annapolis (1%)

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